Wrapping Up
by badly-knitted
Summary: Christmas is only a week away, and thanks to work, Ryo isn't ready. Written for Prompt 68: Wrap at anythingdrabble. Set adter the manga.


**Title:** Wrapping Up

 **Author:** badly-knitted

 **Characters:** Ryo, Dee, mentions Bikky & Carol.

 **Rating:** PG

 **Setting:** After the manga.

 **Summary:** Christmas is only a week away, and thanks to work, Ryo isn't ready.

 **Word Count:** 878

 **Written For:** Prompt 68: Wrap at anythingdrabble.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.

 **A/N:** This is the longer version of the ficlet I posted to the community.

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There was barely a week left before Christmas, and everything in Ryo's world seemed to involve wrapping. First this morning he'd had to ensure Bikky was wrapped up warm against the freezing temperatures before sending the boy off to school, and then he'd had to make sure he himself was similarly well wrapped, because the heating at the precinct wasn't as efficient as it could be.

Even if it was doing its job properly for once, which didn't seem likely, he knew he'd probably be spending much of the day outside, braving the snow and ice and the bitterly cold wind. That was the reality of the job; if cops weren't slaving over paperwork, they were tracking down witnesses, suspects, clues, evidence… all the little puzzle pieces that when put together correctly would create an iron-clad case against the guilty party to present in court. It would be great if he and Dee could wrap up at least one of their current cases before Christmas, bring the family of one victim a degree of closure. He'd been thinking about that all the way to work on the subway.

On arriving at the 27th Precinct, he'd had to endure Dee's complaints that he was too wrapped up and therefore inaccessible to his partner's groping hands. Ryo had simply rolled his eyes at that; Dee was such a horn-dog, and he picked the most inappropriate times to try his luck. Not that Ryo was averse to his lover's attentions, by now they'd been together for almost nine months, but there was a time and a place for such behaviour, and the middle of the squad room at shift change wasn't it.

Besides, Dee was just as well wrapped up as Ryo was, in his bulky sheepskin coat, woollen beanie, warm scarf, and leather gloves. Okay, so he shed those the minute he stepped into the squad room, as Ryo did with his own outer layers; Dee's complaints mostly appeared to be aimed at the long, thick sweater Ryo was wearing, one that came right down over his ass, keeping out the drafts.

Well, tough; Ryo liked this sweater, and on a day when temperatures were hovering below freezing point even in the middle of one of the busiest cities in the world, when he'd been picking out clothes that morning it had been the only sensible choice. Ryo would far rather feel warm and cosy than freeze his ass off trying to look stylish. Every member of the squad was dressed in their warmest casuals, in deference to the winter weather; there wasn't a suit in sight. Suits just weren't practical in eight inches of snow, and too expensive to risk being ruined by taking a fall. Jeans were thicker and more hardwearing, not to mention cheaper to replace if they happened to get ripped.

"So, what're you doin' this evenin'?" Dee asked, dropping into his desk chair across from his partner. "Any plans?"

Ryo looked up from his laptop, which he'd just turned on; he was pretty sure Dee was angling for a dinner invite, probably in the hopes of enjoying Ryo for afters. Having been thwarted in his groping, he'd be looking for some other way to satisfy his desires. Ryo almost smirked. 'So sorry to disappoint,' he thought, 'but it's about time you learned you can't have everything your own way…'

"I'll be wrapping presents tonight. Work's been so busy the last couple of weeks I'm way behind; I haven't even made a start yet, and Bikky won't be home. He and Carol are going to the cinema, and Carol's aunt has said he can spend the night at her place after. This is the best opportunity I'm likely to get to wrap what I got him without any chance of him trying to sneak a peek. Why d'you ask?"

Dee's shoulders sagged; he was clearly disappointed. "Nothin' much, I was just gonna invite ya back to mine to help decorate my tree; I was even gonna spring for takeout."

Ryo felt a pang of disappointment himself; that would have been fun. "Sorry, rain check? With any luck I should be free tomorrow night."

"Yeah?"

"As long as I get all the wrapping done tonight."

"I could give you a hand with that if you wanted?" Dee gave Ryo a hopeful smile.

"And what if I have something to wrap for you?" Ryo teased.

"I promise I wouldn't peek. You could leave me in the living room and wrap my gift in your bedroom, even lock the door if you don't trust me."

Ryo gave it some thought; an extra pair of hands would be useful to hold the paper in place, cut sticky tape, stuff like that, and it wouldn't hurt to have a second pair of eyes checking he hadn't missed any price tags. "Well, okay, sure. It's a big job, I could use the help."

After all, why not? Wrapping presents wouldn't take the whole night and afterwards… maybe if Dee was very good and actually helped rather than hindering, later on they could unwrap each other and take advantage of having the apartment to themselves, with no chance of being interrupted.

Now if they could just get off work at a decent time…

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The End


End file.
